Lubricating device



Feb. 3, 1931. .1. o. LEWIS LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1929 Inventor John -O.Lewis,

His Abtorngy Patented Feb. 3, 1931 JOHN LEWIS, OF WESLEYVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK LUBRIGATING DEVICE My invention relates to oil reserve bearing lubricating devices of the type employing a storage reservoir in which oil is contained below atmospheric pressure above an outlet opening formed in the lower portion thereof, and from which the flow of oil is regulated by arranging an oil sealed outlet or a vent passage to control the admission of air to the reservoir.

It has been proposed, heretofore, to provide for filling a reservoir of this kind, by arranging a passage open to the atmosphere and extending into the reservoir to the region of atmospheric pressure therein. WVhen it was desired to fill the reservoir oil was either poured into the upper end of the passage, or supplied thereto under pressure, so that it flowed through the passage and into the reservoir. In order to provide for the escape of air trapped above the 011 level in the reservoir vent valves have been provlded or a U-shaped tube has been arranged in the reservoir with one end terminating in the upper portion thereof and the other end cornmunicating with the atmosphere. In some instances the U-shaped tube has been arranged with the side which communicates with the atmosphere in the passage, which was usually provided by a tubular member threaded into the reservoir, so that the tubular member and the U-shaped tube could be removed from the reservoir as a unit.

Vent valves were not desirable because attendants were likely to forget to close them which permitted the unrestricted flow of oil from the reservoir and flooded the bearlngs. This was particularly objectionable 1f the lubricating device was used on a motor for example, into which the oil would flow from the bearing and injure the winding insulation.

If a U-tube was used in a device of this kind, when the attendant first filled the reservoir the oil overflowing from the U-tube gave him an indication that the reservoir was full. The overflow of oil trapped a small amount of oil in the U-tube so that upon subsequent filling of the reservoir, the attendant would fill for a short time and, upon seeing the trapped oil appear at the end of the U-tube, would stop the fillin operation before'the reservoir was full. for this reason,

the U-tube was also objectionable because the filling tube and the U-tube and then as sembling them in the desired relation.

An object of my invention is to provide a filling device of this character which does not require the use of valves, and from which oil will not overflow until the bearing is entirely full so-as to avoid giving the attendant a false indication that the reservoir is full. Another object of my invention is to provide a filling passage in a reservoir of this kind and an associated vent passage which can be readily produced, and in which the construction lends itself readily to being cast either in the walls of the reservoir, or separately in a member adapted to be threaded or otherwise secured in the reservoir. I accomplish these objects by providing a reservoir having a filling passage opening to the atmosphere and extending to the region of atmospheric pressure therein, which is adapted to receive a filling tube for closing the same adjacent the lower end thereof and for directing oil thereinto, and a vent passage terminating in the upper portion of the reservoir and communicating with the lower portion of the filling passage.

My invention will be more fully set forth in the following description referring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the end-head of a motor partly broken away having an oil reservoir and an arrangement for filling the same embodying my invention, a portion of the end-head being broo oininuni c ken away to more clearly show the construca removable cover provided with a. vent opening 16. An oil chamber 17 is torinedin the eiid-liead adjacent the waste pocket which its therewith by an opening 18 and oil is suppliedto this pocket from an air tight reservoir 19 throughopenings 18 and 20 formed in the waste poeket. Oil is-adapted to be retained below atmospheric pressure in this reservoir and is supplied therefrom to the chamber 17 so as to maintain "the oil level therein .at2'1'. An-

iiiiig22 is also't ri' ed in the waste pocket coni'inunioating with the upper portion of, the chamber 17 so that the pressure of the air in the chamber above the oil level therein is substantially atmospheric,

' as the waste indicated at 23 is porous enough to pert'rnitthe'ifiow of air between the opening 22 and the vent hole 16 n the-waste pocket cover 15'. Oil is fed from the level zit-21 1n the ehainber 17 and the botto nby the capillaiy action of the waste 23 or other suitabl wioliing arranged in the waste pocket.

In accordance with niy inventionoil is retained'in the air-tight reservoir 19 and fed therefromthrough the passages 20 and 18 to the waste pocket 14 and chamber 17, so as to maintain the oil level in the latter at 21, by providing a passage 2 L opening to t e atmosphere through the vent opening 25 in a removable cover 26 and extending below the region of atinos ieric pressure in the reservoir which is ind ted by the oil level at 2?. A vent passage 28 is arranged adjacent the passage 24: having one end terminating iii the upper end of the reservoir and the other end communicating at 29 with the passage 24 slightlybelow the oil level 27 therein. The; chamber 17, waste pocket 14 and the lower portion of the-reservoir 19 are in substantially free communication as the waste oi wic'king indicated at '23 is not sufficient to obstruct the how of oil, so that upon any lowering of the level oi: the oil below that indicated in the waste pocket l l and chamber 17, will correspondingly 'lowerfthe level of the oil at 27. As a result when oil is fed by the waste 22 to the bearing so as to pressure abovetlie oil level in the reservoir 19 and thereby oause oil to how through the opening 20 to the waste pocket and the oil chamber until a condition of equllibriuni is established. This will occur when the oil. level at 21 is raised sufiicientl to prevent the reservoir through the lower end of thepassage 24. V

In filling the reservoiremploy any suitable device for directing O1l into the same which loosely fits the passage 24' so as not I to obstruct the flow of air from the vent tube 28 therethrough, and which cooperates with the lower end ot the passageto close the same.

l'n'thi's' particular instance I have illustrated i a filling nozzle or tube SO which is tapered at 31 to fit areduced tapered portion 82at the bottoin of the passage 24' enclosing the saine below the opening'o'f the vent tube at 29, and for directing oil into I-tllGIQSQi'VOll.

hen the filling nozzle 80 is arranged, as shown in Fig. 3, to iilltlie reservoir oil flows into the reservoir 19 and the pressure ot-the air above the leve'l of the oilgthereinis increased so that the oil in the vent tube 28 is c forced into the passage 24'. In order to prefventthe oil flowing from the vent tube 28 rising above the upper end of the-passage 2 1 and giving the attendant afalse indication that the reservoir is full, l'inalze thefilling nozzle 30 small enough so that'there is clear-- ancesp ace-be'tween thenozzle and the side wall ot the passage 24: suiheient to 10801111110- date the oil in the vent tube below the top of the passage. tial-ly free fiow'of the air tro'in the space above the oil levelin the reservoir-1.9 through the vent tube and the space between the filling nozzle 30 and the passage 24%, I provide a groove 33 in the side-of the nozzle arranged so that when thehlling i'io'zzle is placed in the passage, as shown in the lower "end of the groove terminates substantially at the opening 29 of the vent tube and the upper end thereof terniinates above the pas sage 2 1. v By this Construction, when'th'e reservoir is being filled airwh ich is trapped above the" oil level in the reservoir 19 durin the I filling operation will be forced thereiroin 'tl'irough the vent tube and will bubble through the oil forced into the space between the fi no'zZle'and the wallet the passage 24 u'n Y the oil level in the reservoir 19 rises "above the end ofthe vent tube 28 which coniinuiiicates with the reservoir. At this time oilwill he torced troinjjthe reservoir'through. the vent-tii'be 28K th'epas'sage 29 andinto the spaoebetween the filling nozzle 30 and the passageas untilthe' s'aine rises above the upper end of the passage 24, which will give To furtherinsure a substan all iio

the attendant an indication that the reservoir is full. It will be observed, however, that the arrangement is such that this indication will not be given until the reservoir is entirely fill d.

In order to facilitate the manufacture of my improved filling and vent controlling device for the reservoir, I prefer to form the passage 24: and the vent tube 28 in an integral tubular member 34 having a flange 85 which is threaded into the top of the reservoir so as to form an air tight joint therewith and to which the removable cover 26 ishinged at 36.

Modifications of the form of my improved lubricating device will occur to those skilled in the art, so that I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications thereof which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States, is:

1. In combination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain oil below atmospheric pressure, means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearing, said reservoir havingafillingpassage opening to the atmosphere and extending to the region of atmospheric pressure therein, said reservoir also having a vent passage terminating in the upper portion thereof and communicating with the lower portion of said filling passage, said filling passage being adapted to receive a filling tube for closing the same below said vent passage and for directing oil into said reservoir.

2. In combination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain oil below atmospheric pressure, means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearing, a tube open to the atmosphere and extending into said reservoir to the region of atmospheric pressure therein, said tube having a vent passage terminating in the upper portion of said reservoir and communicating with the lower portion there of, said tube being adapted to receive a filling tube for closing the same and for directing oil into said reservoir.

3. In combination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain oil below atmospheric pressure, means for conducting oil from said reservoir to said bearing, a tube secured to the wall of said reservoir, said tube being open to the atmosphere above the top wall of said reservoir and extending to the region of atmospheric pressure therein, said tube ha"- ing a vent passage formed in the side wall thereof terminating in the upper portion of said reservoir and communicating with the lower portion thereof, said tube being of reduced size below said vent passage to receive a filling tube'for closing the same and for directin oil into said reservoir.

4;. A illing and venting tube for a reservoir adapted to contain oil below atmospheric pressure comprising a filling passage formed atone end to receive a filling nozzle for closing the passage, and a vent passage communicating with the filling passage intermediate the ends thereof and opening at the other end outside of said tube.

5. A filling and venting tube for a reservoir adapted to contain oil below atmospheric pressure comprising a filling passage reduced in size at one end to receive a filling nozzle for closing the passage, and a vent passage communicating with the filling passage closely adjacent the reduced portion thereof and opening at the other end outside of said tube.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of January, 1929. JOHN O. LEWIS. 

